Screaming Banshees
by Twitch Hopeless-Savage
Summary: Both Sirius Black and Severus Snape have fallen in love with the new girl in school. So now its a race to see who can whoo her first.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: The name Danica Shardae does not belong to me. It comes from the book "HawkSong" By Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. But it was really cool so I had to use it.

Chapter One:

"Hey James," Sirius whispered, jabbing his friend in the side.

"What?" James said looking up from his bread pudding.

"Look up at the head table."

James turned his head and scanned the front of the Great Hall. His gaze froze. Standing behind McGonagall's seat was a young woman with sickly blonde hair that had a green tinge to it. Her face was gaunt and pale and she looked like she had never had a proper meal in her life.

"What about her?" James asked turning back to Sirius. "She's not really your type is she?"

"No, I agree she's not much of a looker but there's something about her eyes. See how the seem to glow green in the candlelight."

"What about it? Lily's eyes are green as well," he said looking back up at the girl.

He watched her carefully until she turned her head and James felt the breath escape his body. Sirius was right they seemed to glow a deep emerald green color.

But there was something else about them, a sort of overwhelming sadness. It chilled James to the bone. He quickly averted his gaze.

"Perfectly creepy," he said to Sirius grabbing a cup of pumpkin juice.

"What do you think Remus?" Sirius asked turning to a boy with shaggy brown hair and dark rings beneath his eyes. He looked up from the book he had been reading.

"Hmm…?"

"The girl," Sirius grabbed Remus' head and turned it to the front of the hall.

"Not much of a looker," Remus said in a far off manner, before quickly returning to his book.

"Boy," Sirius sighed, "I hang out with a bunch of blind dolts."

"I'm not blind Sirius," piped up a small boy with sandy hair.

"Of course you're not Peter," Sirius muttered, staring back up at the girl. There was just something mysterious about her and Sirius wanted to know what it was.

As he watched the girl she seemed to become aware of his gaze. In an almost predator like fashion she scanned the room till her eyes met his. They flashed green and quickly dimmed again. She bared her teeth and quickly turned away. Sirius' interest in her only deepened.

Finally the feast began to wind down and Dumbledore stood up for his start of term speech.

Sirius became attentive in hopes that maybe he would introduce the new girl.

"Well now that your rather insatiable appetites have been fulfilled for the moment I think it a good time to go over the basic rules for our new first years though a few of our older students should probably listen as well." His twinkling gaze fell on Sirius and James in turn.

They bowed their heads like royalty as kids smiled knowingly at them.

"The dark forest is out-of-bounds for all Hogwarts students unless you are accompanied by a teacher, and in that case it is only for classroom activities. Also I'd like to impress upon every single one of you to check out the ever-growing list of forbidden items. It is posted on our dear Mister Filch's door.

"And now that such trivial things as rules has been taken care of it is my great pleasure to introduce you to yet another new student. She arrived a little late and did not have a chance to be sorted. The school she originally attended was burned to the ground by a muggle mob so she will be staying with us for now. Her name is Danica Shardae and she will be starting sixth year."

Sirius couldn't believe his luck. She was in the same year as him. He winked at James who just shook his head and looked back up at Dumbledore.

"Miss Shardae will you please step forward and you will be sorted into the house you will stay with during your time here at Hogwarts."

The girl gracefully moved to the front of the head table and looked down at the sorting hat.

"Well put me on deary," the hat suddenly said.

She screeched loudly and claws came out from the tips of her hands.

"I'm not that bad looking," the hat laughed.

The girl screeched even louder and a goblet nearby shattered into a thousand pieces.

The whole hall covered their ears as she continued to scream, her voice becoming steadily louder.

Dumbledore, in fact, was actually the only person that seemed unaffected by her screaming.

Smiling to himself he got up out of his chair and quite calmly walked over to her.

"Danica," he said, not rising the tone of his voice at all. "That's quite a set of lungs you have on you."

She stopped and the claws slowly receded back into her fingers.

Sirius unclenched his eyes and moved his hands away from his ears. He looked up at Danica.

She was standing there wild-eyed talking to Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry about that Miss Shardae. I should've warned you about the hat. Are you okay?"

Danica quietly nodded and opened her mouth to speak. "I'm fine Professor. It just took me a bit off guard that's all. And now I've gone a made a fool of myself in front of everyone." Her voice was low and somewhat rough.

She looked out at the students, who were watching her warily, and her face began to become green from embarrassment.

Dumbledore smiled and leaned closer to her. "We all make fools of ourselves at one point in our lives. In fact I've made quite a fool of myself on several occasions. So don't feel too bad." He winked at her and pulled away.

"That's some girl you got there Sirius," James said. "I can just hear the screams now. 'Oh Sirius! AHHHHHH!' " James screeched in a high-pitched voice, trying to mimic Danica's. "We'll all end up deaf but the end of the night."

Sirius punched his friend in the arm but couldn't help but laugh. "She's not my girl, _yet_," Sirius corrected James.

"I don't think guys are going to be fighting for a date with her," James looked her over. "She's got a sick, but I could kick your ass, look about her. A bit too freaky for me. But hey whatever floats your boat. Or in this case inflates your balloon…" James laughed loudly at his own raunchy joke.

"You two are completely pathetic," said a girl scornfully. She was sitting two seats away from James. "You could at least talk about her as if she were human."

"Oh come on Evans it was just a bit of fun. Besides I don't think she is human." James said defensively, trying to make himself sound maturer.

"Right… fun. You have one twisted view on life Potter."

"Actually he has a point," Remus looked up from his book. "About not being human I mean. It appears that she is most likely part Banshee."

"A Banshee," James said elbowing Sirius. "It looks like your new girl is a Banshee. I think those moans will be even more earth shattering than I thought."

Sirius snickered though he was getting rather tired of James' antics. His eyes steadily remained on Danica.

"God James. When will you grow-up?" Lily remarked in a disgusted tone.

"Never," James laughed and Sirius gave him a high five.

"Actually James she's only _part_ Banshee. If she were a full-blooded Banshee more than just a glass goblet would've broken. Also her hair would be pure-green and she would have a green leaf coloring running up her neck." Remus eyes never left his book.

"Men. You act as if throwing logic at everything will somehow make this world a better place." Lily said. "But for all your logic you still can't treat her with some respect. I know I'd be mortified in her position. Freaking out like that in front of everyone."

"Yeah but she is still kind of freaky and completely in need of a serious make-over." Laughed one of Lily's friends.

"Don't you get started in on her too," Lily snapped.

"Sorry," her friend muttered, her face turning red.

"I know if you go out with me _my_ world will be a better place," James smiled hopefully.

"Have you been listening to a word I said?" Lily couldn't believe the nerve of James.

He nodded stupidly.

"In your dreams," she turned away. "Wait not even in your dreams," she quickly added.

"She wants me bad," James said coolly.

"Whatever man," Sirius laughed his eyes darting back to Danica.

"What do you see in her? I mean you've never even met her. And she's a Banshee. Well _part_ Banshee anyway."

Sirius sighed and looked at James. "I don't know it's just something about her. I can't put my finger on it. And besides, like Lily said, who cares if she _is_ a part banshee."

"Whatever, she's still a freak. Hey look she's about to be sorted."

Danica felt relief wash over her as the students began to talk amongst themselves. But she could still feel curious gazes flicker to her every couple seconds.

__

"Well I've managed to make a complete idiot out of myself in the first five minutes," she thought. _"I just didn't expect the hat to talk, that's all. What would Xavier think? He'd probably just laugh at me before telling me everything would be fine."_

"Quiet everyone. Miss Shardae," Dumbledore held out the talking hat.

Nervously Danica took it out of his hands a pulled it over her head. The brim fell over her eyes and the Great Hall disappeared.

"Well that was quite a little show you put on out there."

"Who are you?" Danica thought.

__

"I'm the sorting hat of course. Though I'm a bit tired so I'll save the spiel for later. Just look me up and we'll have tea. Anyway to sum it all up it's my job to sort you into the house you'll be staying in for the remainder of your time at Hogwarts."

"Oh, well where are you going to put me?"

"Well your _attitude changes rather fast. One minute you were terrified of me and the next you act as if we've known each other for years."_

"Sorry it's the Banshee blood in me. They don't express themselves the same way as humans, though I'm better at it then some of my family. My brother Xavier's mood stays the same, or is at the one extreme polar or the other. A bit freaky actually. Not to subtle, that one."

"Yes, yes. Well however quaint and lovely it is to have a little chat about your family I really must sort you. So if you don't mind, not trying to be rude or anything, but I'd appreciate a bit of silence. It's been a long night."

Danica didn't answer back.

__

"Now then. Let's see. You've got a great mind no doubt about that but Ravenclaw doesn't seem right for you. No not at all. You're cunning as well, but Slytherin wouldn't fit for you either. No. You are being rather difficult. Well this may be a bit hasty but I am really tired, and I think it will best for you, so… GRYFFINDOR!"the hat shouted.

Danica pulled off the hat and set it neatly on the stool. Dumbledore smiled and pointed at the table that was clapping the loudest. "You're over there dear."

"Thanks," Danica said, pulling her fingers through her green-blonde hair in an attempt to pull out all the knots.

A/n: Well there was the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I know Danica is kind of a Mary Sue but I've always wanted to put a banshee in one of my stories. Besides I don't think she'll be the entire focus of the story. Hopefully. Anyway please review and I'll try to update soon.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two:

"If I ever look like that Danica freak, kill me." Narcissa Black laughed looking across the hall as Danica Shardae sat down at the Gryffindor table.

"It'll be my pleasure," said a young man going at her with his fork.

"Oh _ha ha _Lucius," Narcissa sneered, rolling her eyes. "I was serious. I mean look at her. Her hair is limp and looks mouldy, her skin is the colour of dead man's face, and could she look anymore anorexic?"

"No. Not anymore than you anyway," muttered Severus Snape, his black greasy hair hanging limply in his pale face.

Narcissa looked traumatised while everyone sniggered into their hands.

"Good one Sevvy." Lucius patted his friend on the back. A whisper of a smile flickered across Snape's face.

"_Good one Sevvy_?" Narcissa snapped, glaring at Lucius. "You're supposed to be my _boyfriend."_

"And that means?" Lucius asked, smiling devilishly.

Narcissa hit him on the shoulder. "That means you're supposed to protect me. So protect me!" she commanded.

"You've got to cool down Little Sis," said a young woman with straight black hair and a deep smoky voice. She wrapped her arm around Narcissa's shoulder.

"Easy for you to say Bellatrix," Narcissa whined, looking jealously at her sister. "Your boyfriend does everything you say."

Bellatrix smiled and rubbed her other hand across her boyfriend's leg. "Of course he does. He's scared of me. Isn't that right?" She gave Lestrange a wide playful grin.

Lestrange blushed. "Well you all have to agree she is kind of scary. Right?" He looked around hoping that someone would speak up and his man-hood wouldn't be completely crushed.

Lucius shook his head laughing. "Lestrange from one man to another. Don't _ever_ let a girl control you. It's kind of a sissy thing to do. And it spoils them. Then they'll expect good behaviour from you always." He grinned at Narcissa.

"Lucius pour me some pumpkin juice," Bellatrix commanded, winking at Narcissa.

Lucius looked at Bellatrix's face and thought better of disobeying her. "Right away," he muttered, picking up her goblet.

Everyone laughed as Lucius poured Bellatrix's drink. She smiled and took it from him.

"Good boy." She smiled evilly at Lucius and he felt embarrassment rise on his face.

"Well that kind of contradicted your point, didn't it?" Lestrange took a sip from his goblet.

"And with that may you all sleep comfortably. Good night." Dumbledore's voice boomed through the room and everyone stood up feeling slightly tired.

Narcissa, Lucius, Bellatrix, Lestrange, and Snape all got up to leave but a stern voice called told them to sit back down. Angrily they all fell back into their seats.

"You five talked all through the Headmaster's speech." Professor McGonnagall said in a reprimanding voice standing over them. Her lips were thinly drawn and her black hair was pulled into a firm bun. "Twenty points from Slytherin and I hope that this won't set an example of your behaviour for the remainder of the school year."

Bellatrix smiled sweetly. "Don't worry Professor we'll all be extra good this year. Won't we gang?"

Everyone else pulled their tired lips into very similar eat my heart out smirks.

"Get to bed. The lot of you," McGonnagall instructed, her dry voice resounding throughout the great hall.

"Yes Professor," Bellatrix said in a little school girl tone. "Holy cricket you guys I sure am tired. Let's all go to bed."

Everyone giggled inside their hands.

"Good night Bellatrix." McGonagall's voice had a tone of warning in it. She walked off, her heels clicking angrily against the stone floor.

"Gee whiz guys and maybe we can all roast marshmallows with our wands," Bellatrix's voice again became velvety and seductive. "God she pisses me off. Lestrange if I ever become like _her _you have my permission to end my life."

"Okay," Lestrange agreed.

They all laughed, pushing open the doors and walking out into the entrance hall.

Narcissa put a finger to her lips and pointed over into a dark corner. Standing there was James and Sirius.

Quietly the group hid behind a statue nearby and listened in on the boys' conversation.

"She's perfect James I'm telling you," Sirius whispered, pushing his hair away from his forehead. "She's the most gorgeous girl I've ever seen in my life."

"Looks like our cousin has a little girlfriend," Narcissa whispered to Bellatrix.

"I wonder who the slag is," Bellatrix answered, wrapping her arm around Lestrange.

"Shh…" Lucius angrily put a finger to his lips.

"You're out of your mind Padfoot. You can do way better than an ugly banshee… _part_ banshee I mean. Merlin, Moony is getting to me. I swear soon I'll be carrying a book with me everywhere I go." James put his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "I just don't want to see you make a bad choice. Think about it. Do you really want to wake up to her every morning?"

"Danica is _not_ ugly. She's just… _different. _Different but gorgeous." Sirius sighed.

Narcissa and Bellatrix shared shocked looks. Lestrange and Lucius laughed quietly. Snape just stood there glaring at Sirius.

"Whatever man." James yawned. "Let's get to bed. I'm wasted."

"Okay." Sirius and James walked off.

Once they were gone Narcissa shrieked with laughter. "Sirius is in love with the new freak!"

"Poor man. Must be terribly desperate," Lucius laughed. "He mustn't have been able to clean his plumbing over the break." He grinned luridly at Lestrange, pumping his fist.

Lestrange chuckled.

"God, men are so crude," Narcissa said disgustedly, as they continued on their way to the dungeons.

"We're not crude," Lucius laughed, wrapping his arm around her. "We just have certain needs."

Narcissa pushed his arm away. "Well then go fulfil them by yourself."

"Tough luck mate," Lestrange slapped Lucius on the back.

"It's hard to believe Sirius has actually fallen for that new girl," Bellatrix said staring blankly at the stone wall. The air temperature dropped as they began to walk down the dungeon steps.

"Yeah she's so ugly," Narcissa shivered. "And a freak. Did you hear the way she screamed? It was like someone had ripped out her heart."

"And not human," Lestrange added. "Didn't you hear what Potter said about her being a Banshee."

"He said she was a _part _banshee. There's a difference," Snape interjected; his voice was withdrawn and sullen.

"Full. Part. Who cares? She's still an ugly freak. Does anyone know the new password?" They stopped in front of a stone wall with a painting of a snake hanging on it.

"She's not ugly," Snape snapped. Everyone looked back at him.

"What?" Lucius asked.

"I _said_ 'she's not ugly.' I hope you can excuse my contradiction."

"I think you've been playing with your chemistry set a bit too much Sevvy. The fumes seem to have given your brain a bit of a turn. How could you think that Danica is pretty? She's possibly the ugliest girl I've ever seen in my life," Lestrange said, looking utterly baffled.

"As I said I'm sorry to contradict. Please forget I've even said anything," Snape lowered his eyes to avoid their gazes but he could still feel them.

"We'll do nothing of the sort," Lucius said, sauntering over to Snape and patting him on the back. "This is positively the most interesting turn of events in a while. Our little Sevvy is all grown up. So which one of us will give him 'the talk'."

"Oh stop being a prat," Severus said. "Now what's the password. I'm tired."

'_Oh curse it all. Why did you have to say it Snape? Why couldn't you have kept your mouth shut? Usually no one can get you to say anything and now you've gone and said too much.' _Snape reprimanded himself.

He looked up at all his friends. They were no longer looking at him. Good. He didn't like when people stared. He didn't like to think he was being judged.

__

'That's must be what Danica feels like right now. Like the whole school is judging her,' Snape thought following his friends into the Slytherin common room.

A small fire burning in the fireplace took the bite out of the dungeon air. Sluggishly Severus went with Lucius to their dormitory.

As he got into bed he couldn't help but think of Danica.

__

'I don't have a chance,' he told himself. '_Black likes her too. I know whom she'll pick. Black. The girls always do. Face it Snivellus you're just a pathetic loser. No girl will ever like you with your greasy hair and sickly looks. It's quite a shock you even have any friends for that matter.'_

"Oh shut it," Snape muttered curling up in his blanket.

"What was that?" Lucius asked in a groggy voice.

"Nothing. Go to bed." Snape leaned over his bedside table and blew out the candle.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three:

"Here this will be where you'll sleep." Lily pointed at large four-poster bed with deep crimson curtains hung around it.

"Thanks," Danica muttered looking at the bed. Her trunk was at the foot of it and a cage sat on top of the trunk.

"Ooh I love animals," Lily said excitedly spotting the cage. "What kind of pet do you have?"

"Umm... it's a jarvey. His name is Tarquin." Danica pulled off her robe and threw it on her bed.

"I've never seen a jarvey before." Lily's green eyes were wild with curiosity. "Can I take him out?"

"Sure," Danica felt herself smile for the first time since she'd left Ireland. Maybe Xavier was right, maybe she would make some friends after all. "But let me take him out. He's a bit shy around strangers."

"That's okay, I understand. My cat, Mona, can't stand strangers. Over the summer my parents had some important guests over and do you know what Mona did?" Danica shook her head. "She laid near them the whole night hissing quietly and glaring at them. My sister Petunia thinks she was sent to us by the devil but I think she's the sweetest cat in the world."

Danica giggled. "My brother doesn't like Tarquin that much either. But then again Tarquin can barely stand Xavier's presence. Whenever they're in the same room it's like a couple of old maids bickering over the last piece of bread."

Lily laughed and sat down on the edge of Danica's bed.

Danica smiled at her and bent down to unlock the cage. "Are you ready to come out now?" she whispered into the cage.

Two other girls in the dormitory shared a laughing glance. "What a geek," one of them muttered. "She talks to her pets as if they would talk back."

They both sniggered behind their hands. Lily shot them an angry glance that made their laughter die and sent them back to quietly unpacking.

"Must I?" growled a male voice from inside.

The other girls froze and looked around the room wildly trying to figure out the source from which the voice came. Lily just laughed as she watched them scrambling to cover up their bare skin.

"Yes," Danica said tucking a strand of her green-blonde hair behind a slightly pointed ear.

"Slag," muttered the voice as Danica reached into the cage and pulled out a creature that resembled an overgrown ferret.

It yawned and turned its gaze to Lily. He had blue eyes and pure white fur.

"Tart," he hissed at Lily.

"Tarquin!" Danica said in an exasperated voice as the Jarvey climbed up her arm. "Will you please try and be slightly polite around my new friends?"

The jarvey perched itself on Danica's shoulder. "No," he said.

Lily giggled while the other girls stared at the creature in wonder.

Danica's rolled her eyes and scratched his back. "A real charmer isn't he?" she said squatting in front of Lily so the other girl could pet him.

"I think he's adorable." Lily smiled petting his soft white fur. "You're so adorable aren't you?" she cooed scratching his ears.

"Help me," Tarquin whined, but Danica just giggled.

"You know you're enjoying the attention. Admit it." She tickled his belly.

"Bitch!" The jarvey jumped onto the stone floor and crawled under Danica's bed.

"Be that way," Danica called under the bed. "But if don't straighten out you won't be getting your supper.

A pink nose poked out. "No supper?" Tarquin asked fearfully.

"No." Danica said as she pulled out a bag of food form her trunk. She poured some of it into a pottery bowl and stuck it into the jarvey's cage.

Tarquin rushed out from under the bed and leaped into his cage. "Good Tarquin," he said.

"Yes, good Tarquin." Danica scratched his ear lovingly before shutting the cage. The sound of crunching filled the room.

"Sorry if he offended any of you," Danica said looking over at her other roommates. They were already changed into their pyjamas and lying in bed.

"Oh it's okay," the one named Frances said, though her voice indicated that it wasn't okay.

"We just _love _being insulted by an over-sized rodent," the other one added. Her name was Hilary.

"Over-sized rodent?" Tarquin screeched. "How dare that cow call me that."

Danica sighed. It was definitely going to be hard to get the two girls to like her.

Both of them glared at Tarquin's cage.

"Good night, Lily," Frances said shutting the hangings around her bed. Hilary quickly followed suit.

"Bitches," Tarquin muttered.

"Oh shut it," Danica ordered. She threw a silencing cloth over the jarvey's cage.

"Don't worry about them," Lily said, stripping off her robe and tossing it messily into her trunk. "They're always like that. Never a nice word for anyone."

"I'm not that worried. I knew that I wouldn't receive a very warm welcome." Danica pulled off her sweater and began to unbutton her white shirt. "And after my little performance at the speech I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with no friends."

"I'll be your friend," Lily said truthfully.

"Okay I'll have one friend," Danica laughed tugging off her shirt. She could feel Lily's gaze drawn to her bare back.

"What's that green stuff all over your back?" Lily asked.

Danica touched her back lightly. "I was born with it. It's sort of like a tattoo of a bunch of leaves. My whole family has one."

Lily reached out her slender fingers and touched the tattoo. "It's gorgeous."

"Thanks."

"One of my friends said your were part banshee," Lily said pulling on her red pyjama top.

"Well that friend would be correct," Danica answered. "Actually I thought it was quite obvious. I screamed pretty loudly at the feast."

"Yeah. Anyway so what happened to your school in Ireland? Why did you have to transfer here?"

Danica felt her throat tighten up. "I don't won't to talk about it," she muttered, slipping into her pyjama bottoms.

"Oh. Okay. I didn't mean to pry." Lily looked uncomfortable.

"That's all right. I would've asked too."

Lily yawned. "Man I'm tired." She fell into her bed. "Night Danica," she said blowing out her candle.

"Night," Danica answered in return. She got in bed and shut the hangings. As she lay there she wondered what Xavier was up to.

"He's probably playing with the wolf cubs," she muttered, wishing she were at home.


End file.
